Iran-U.S. War Talks Stall as IRGC Threatens Wider Conflict and Netanyahu Breaks With Trump

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a formal warning on May 20 that any resumed U.S. or Israeli military action would trigger retaliation extending beyond the Middle East. The IRGC, in a statement released on its Sepah News website, asserted that despite facing the combined military force of the United States and Israel, Tehran had not yet deployed the full extent of its capabilities. The statement declared that Iran had not brought "all the capacities" of the country "into action" and warned that renewed aggression would produce "crushing blows" at locations the opposing side "cannot even imagine." IRGC Commander Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi separately posted on X that Tehran's response to "further aggression" would "spread beyond every border and territory." The warning was published by IRGC-affiliated Sepah News and carried by Iran's Fars and Tasnim news agencies.

The IRGC statement arrives six weeks after President Donald Trump paused Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign against Iran, in favor of a ceasefire brokered on April 8. The United States and Israel began launching attacks against targets in Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, following months of negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program and the reach of its military. Trump described the campaign as "major combat operations," though the United States never formally declared war, an authority that resides exclusively with Congress under Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the Constitution. Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the executive branch generally has 60 days to obtain congressional authorization, terminate the action, or begin withdrawal. The White House has argued that the ceasefire ended hostilities and stopped that clock.

On May 20, Trump told reporters that negotiations are "in the final stages" but left military action on the table if no agreement is reached. Speaking at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy commencement, Trump warned that Washington could launch fresh and more intense strikes on Iran, declaring that Tehran's navy and air force are "gone" and framing the remaining question as whether Iran signs a truce or the United States "finishes the job." On Tuesday, Trump had told reporters he had been "an hour away from making the decision" to resume attacks, but agreed to give Iran a few days to return to negotiations. Earlier that day, Trump posted on Truth Social that he had been asked by the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE to hold off on a planned attack scheduled for Tuesday, instructing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine, and the U.S. military not to carry out the strike.

The diplomatic track remains active but unresolved. Iran submitted a new offer to the United States this week, but Tehran's public accounts of its terms repeat positions previously rejected by Trump, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen assets, and withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region. A revised peace memorandum drafted by Qatar and Pakistan, with input from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt, aims to obtain more tangible commitments from Iran regarding its nuclear program and more specifics from the United States on the gradual release of frozen Iranian assets. The proposed framework would have both Washington and Tehran sign a "letter of intent" to formally end the war, followed by a 30-day negotiation period covering Iran's nuclear program and the status of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that Tehran and Washington have continued to exchange messages through Pakistan.

The emerging framework has exposed a rift between Washington and Jerusalem. Trump held a tense, hour-long conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, during which Netanyahu pushed for a resumption of military action, reflecting different views on how to proceed with the Iran war. Netanyahu is highly skeptical about the negotiations and wants to resume the war to further degrade Iran's military capabilities and weaken the regime by destroying its critical infrastructure. Netanyahu has argued that the conflict is "not over" as long as Iran retains highly enriched uranium and active enrichment facilities, stating that remaining nuclear material "has to be taken out of Iran" and that enrichment sites "have to be dismantled." When asked about the call Wednesday, Trump declined to acknowledge the disagreement, saying of Netanyahu: "He'll do whatever I want him to do."

The nuclear disposition of Iran's uranium stockpile sits at the center of the impasse. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly stated that Iran's ability to enrich uranium had been "totally decimated" by Operation Midnight Hammer, a reference to the June 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The war has nonetheless not deprived Iran of its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, and the U.S. and Israel have said it will be removed by force if not through a deal. Reuters, citing two senior Iranian sources, reported that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a directive that the stockpile must not be sent abroad, though a U.S. official said no such directive had been communicated to the White House. Iran's Foreign Ministry called claims about nuclear matters "media speculation" with "no basis in reality." All three sources familiar with the emerging Qatar-Pakistan draft stressed it remains unclear whether Iran will agree to the new framework or shift its positions significantly.